Location

Known For

The lowdown

Bare-bones and fluorescent-lit, this place looks like a hundred other storefront steam-table soul-food joints. But something extraordinary must be going on back in the kitchen. Super-savory chicken and dumplings tread a delicious murky brown gravy. Moist meat loaf is slicked with an eerie but tasty candy-apple-red glaze. Nicely seasoned collards actually show signs of life — a refreshing departure from the norm — while candied yams pack a cinnamon-sugar punch. And habit-forming coconut cake is worth a couple of hours on the StairMaster. No wonder that even late at night, there’s usually a steady stream of customers filing in to ponder their two generous sides.